Fallen soldier's body will ride in Terre Haute parade

[babylonsister]

Fallen soldier's body will ride in Terre Haute parade

By Will Higgins / Indianapolis Star


Terre Haute, like a lot of places, has an annual Veterans Day parade -- vintage convertibles, dignitaries, high school bands playing Sousa marches, soldiers from long-ago wars wearing bits of their old uniforms.

But this year's will be different.

This year, there'll be a hearse, and in it a flag-draped coffin, and in the coffin the body of Army Sgt. Dale R. Griffin.

Griffin, a star athlete at Terre Haute South Vigo High School, was killed Oct. 27 in southern Afghanistan when a roadside bomb detonated under the vehicle he rode in. He was 29.

Today, he'll ride directly behind the Terre Haute Police Department color guard, near the front of the parade.

The arrangement -- a parade transformed into a funeral procession -- is at least unusual and possibly unique. It also will serve as a powerful reminder of war's reality and the price paid by some veterans.

And veterans here think that it could revitalize Veterans Day, which they say too often is more closely associated with mall sales than military sacrifice.

But this year, with the inclusion of Griffin, a parade that typically draws only dozens is expected to be witnessed -- and reflected upon -- by thousands.

"I believe Terre Haute and the entire country take their freedom for granted," said Cliff Stephens, a Vietnam vet and VFW member, "and this should wake them up."

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http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latest-news/fallen-soldiers-body-will-ride-terre-haute-parade

[DrDan]

1. I wonder who thought this might be a good idea. . . .

[sarge43]

2. +1

A procession to the burial, yes. As a center piece of a parade, tacky is the kindest word I can come up with.

[DrDan]

8. these people deserve better than to be put on display

There is a respectful middle-ground between hiding the dead as junior did and putting them on display.

I agree - a procession to the burial. But not on display in a parade.

[sarge43]

9. They had little enough peace and dignity in their lives.

They don't deserve to be a show and tell item in death.

[Fire1]

4. Could be viewed as morbid. n/t

[kenny blankenship]

12. Could be. Will he be in an open casket?

Will they prop him up to wave at the crowd? Do you think he'll get to kiss the Homecoming Queen?

[eleny]

3. It becomes about the one soldier instead of all veterans

Not a good idea, imo.

[Mari333]

5. let people see the truth.

I think its high time they did.

[sarge43]

6. A flag covered casket is not the truth. Any vet can have one of those.

The truth is in the back rooms of VA hospitals, tar paper shacks in forests and mountains, refrigerator boxes under freeway overpasses. The truth is in the thousand yard stare from tear filled eyes.

People can have the truth, but they don't want it. They can't handle it.

/usual typo/

[Mari333]

7. yeah, they need to see all that too

all of it.

[elehhhhna]

11. I'm with you.

[SoCalDem]

10. Reminds me too much of this

Keep funerals & their processions for the family & friends.

Public commemorations should be for ALL the soldiers..not just one.

[kenny blankenship]

13. The Pentagon has 50 years of this in their plans

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20091102/hayden
If this is the way America is going, now would be a great time to leave. Especially for the young.